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* * *
It didn’t mean anything.
Those words smacked Dante across the face.
When he’d woken up, he’d reached out and found a cold, empty spot next to him. He’d begun to wonder if he’d just dreamed the incredible night. If it hadn’t been for the impression of Lizzie’s head in the pillow next to his and the lingering floral scent, he might have written it off as a very vivid dream. Maybe that would have been best for both of them.
By the time he’d searched the whole apartment, he’d started to panic. Where could she have gone? Why had she left? Did she regret their moment of lovemaking?
And now as he stood in the doorway with the doorjamb propping him up, his worst fears were confirmed. Lizzie regretted last night. While he was thinking that this could possibly be the start of something, she was thinking that it would never happen again. His gut twisted into a painful knot.
Gone were the illusions that last night meant something special—for both of them. He’d been so wrong about so many things. He knew that Lizzie wouldn’t intentionally hurt him. She had a good heart even though she kept it guarded.
Hearing those painful words was his own fault. He shouldn’t be eavesdropping. Still, not even Red could drag him away from the spot on the white tiled floor. It was better to hear the truth than to misread things and get lost in some fantasy that wasn’t real.
How could he have been such a fool? He couldn’t believe he’d given in to his desires. He never lost control like that. But when he’d thought she’d finally let down her guard and let him in, he’d gotten carried away. In the end, it had all been in his imagination.
She had only one goal. To finish her job here and return to New York. Well, that was fine with him. She didn’t have to worry about him clinging to her. That wasn’t about to happen. No way.
Finding this out now was for the best. In the end, committed relationships didn’t work out for DeFiore men. One way or another, when one of them got too close, they ended up getting burned. Luckily he’d only gotten singed, unlike his father and brother, who’d had their hearts and lives utterly decimated.
Dante stepped into the office. “So this is where you’re hiding.”
Lizzie jumped and pressed a hand to her chest. “I’m not hiding. And how long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough. A more important question is why did you disappear without a word?” He should leave the subject alone but he couldn’t.
His pride had been pricked and it demanded to be soothed. Because
his bruised ego had to be what was causing him such discomfort. It couldn’t be anything else. He refused to accept that he’d fallen for a woman who had used him for a one-night stand.
Lizzie’s gaze moved to the papers on the desk. “I couldn’t sleep.”
Because she was horrified by what she’d let happen between them. He stifled a groan of frustration. “Something on your mind?”
Her gaze avoided his. “Uhh...no. I...ah, you must have been right. I had too much caffeine last night.”
He cleared his throat, refusing to let his voice carry tones of agitation. “And you thought you’d come down here and what? Clean up the office?”
Her slender shoulders, the ones he’d rained kisses down on just hours ago, rose and fell. “I thought maybe I could organize it for you.”
“And you were so excited to sort papers that it had you jumping out of bed before sunrise?”
Her gaze didn’t meet his. “I like office work.”
“You must.”
She nodded. “I have a business degree.”
He struggled to keep the surprise from showing on his face. Just one more thing to prove how little he knew about her...and yet he couldn’t ignore the nagging thought that he still wanted to learn more about the beautiful blonde with the blue eyes that he could lose himself in.
He crossed his arms as his gaze followed her around the office as she moved stacks of papers to the desk. “You know, office work isn’t part of the contract.”
“I didn’t know that we were being formal about things.”
“I think it would be for the best. We don’t want to forget the reason you’re here.”
Her forehead crinkled. “If it’s about last night—”
